Thursday, January 20, 2011

Chocolate has several ingredients which can potentially affect your skin. Cocoa beans, of which chocolate is made, are high in antioxidant phenolic phytochemicals (polyphenols), including flavonoids, procyanidin, and resveratrol. In fact, they are present at such high concentrations that cocoa actually has higher antioxidant potential than other heavy weight antioxidants such as green tea or red wine. Not all chocolate is high in flavonoids, however. For example, white chocolate has no flavonoids while dark, high-cocoa-content chocolate has much higher flavonoids than does milk chocolate.

Chocolate also contains fats such as cocoa butter or shea butter. Both of these are used routinely as topical moisturizers and as anti-inflammatory agents. Shea butter can also used as a skin softener.

Most studies of the health benefits of chocolate have looked at anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular effects of eating it, not the benefit of applying to your skin. I did however find one study* which showed that topical application of cocoa plant extracts containing polyphenols and xanthine derivitives prevented wrinkles from forming in mice who were exposed to ultraviolet light. If nothing else, it would be a delicious, relaxing treatment. That is, if you can keep yourself from licking it off.

How do you make your own homemade chocolate facial mask

Courtesy of Food Blogga1/3 cup dark cocoa3 tbs heavy cream1/4 cup honey2 tbs pureed or powdered oatmealMix all the ingredients together and apply. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then rinse off with warm water using a gentle circular method to exfoliate.

Monday, August 9, 2010

It's really important to use a natural deodorant...I have tried so many and they have all failed miserably - particularly in the hot summer months. This one goes on like a regular deodorant (it glides smoothly on - not tacky feeling) and has a wonderful fresh scent that really lasts through out the day!

LAVANILA The Healthy Deodorant uses beta-glucan technology to effectively fight odor while soothing, conditioning, and strengthening the skin. It goes on clean, with no sticky wetness, and delivers long-lasting safe resultsI highly recommend this! THIS IS THE ONE LADIES! $18 http://www.lavanila.com/

Clarins Sunshine Fragrance Moisturizing Body Lotion This shimmering lotion adorns the body with the scent, the radiance, and the pampered feel of the sun. It combines a wonderful uplifting fragrance with extraordinary skincare benefits to help your senses soar and leave your body feeling radiant. Re hydrates, soothes and provides comfort after to much sun 8.8 oz $40 clarins.com

Kiehls Superbly Restorative Argan Body LotionImproves skin's texture and tone restores Softness and tonicity made with Argan Leaf Extractindigenous to Morocco’s Atlas Mountain Region, this fairly-traded, organic Argan Leaf Extract is derived from the Argan Tree and contains natural polyphenols that have been shown to have antioxidant properties and further care for skin 6.8 oz $35 Kiehls.com

Burt's Bee's Thoroughly Therapeutic Honey & Shea Butter Body Butter Sweet, creamy therapy for rough skin Natural mango and shea butters team up with honey and aloe to provide deep therapy for restoring and protecting seriously dry skin on rough areas like your knees and elbows. The Shea Butter is a natural fat obtained from the fruit of the karite tree and is a valuable, nourishing addition to moisturizers for the reduction of wrinkles and to improve the elasticity of the skin and protect it against environmental aging. 6.6 oz $13 burtsbees.com

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

No matter how carefully its done,removing hair follicles from the bikini line can injure hair follicles and lower their resistance to bacteria. This commonly results in folliculitis,a skin infection marked by a series of itchy red pustules.

The Rx;Soak a cotton ball in unflavored milk of magnesia and dab liberally onto clean skin allow to dry.

Repeat twice daily. Magnesium hydroxide (the active ingredient in this antacid) draws out pus,sooths redness and disinfects skin giving you a blemish free bikini line in as little as one week.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Combine 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 cup distilled water and 2/3 cup witch hazel. Pour the mixture into a clean bottle with a lid. Shake well. Apply the toner with a cotton pad. Store in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

It's no secret that a soothing soak calms the mind and relieves stress. A quick dip also offers physical benefits,add bath products containing Rosemary orEucalyptus may be particularly helpful! Strenuous work can cause microscopic tears in the muscles that cause stiffness and aches. A warm bath with Rosemary and Eucalyptus oil can increase circulation and decrease inflammation. Try a 15 to 20 minute soak to ease stress and improve movement.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Exciting news from totalbeauty.com they just announced their first ever beauty Awards! totalbeauty.com Awards will give readers the opportunity to vote for their favorite beauty products in dozens of categories like Hair,Make-up ,Skin and body products! Tested, scrutinized and awarded ahhhhhhhh!!!! Making it easier for beauty junkies like you and me to make better more informed purchases!

Apply the toner with a cotton pad. Store in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks.

~Lemon and water both have clarifying actions in your body. Both lemon and water help flush out toxins in your system. Although lemons are acidic, they are alkalizing in your body.

Lemon water is truly beneficial in any beauty care regimen.Start your day drinking a glass lemon water first thing every morning!

Lemons are also very good at clarifying your hair to remove hair product build up. For those with dark hair, use lemon juice to add golden and red highlights to your hair. For those with blonde hair, use lemon to lighten your blonde color. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 lemon into your hair and sit out in the sun for an hour.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Less expensive options: Here are some quick home remediesMix one egg with 1/4 cup of mayonnaise. Apply this mixture to your hair and leave it for 30 minutes then wash thoroughly

If you have fine hair this can weight it down so instead try adding a teaspoon of light oil, like avocado, to your regular conditioner twice a week.

Put the blow-dryer away! At least for awhile and towel dry. After a few days you will see a big difference

More drastic option and honesty usually the best option!!!!

Get a haircut Dry hair can be repaired with conditioning treatments, but remember split ends need to be cut off. Take off as much of the damaged hair as possible,Brittle hair can spread up the shaft of your hair.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

by Self MagazineQ: I am a Brazilian-waxing virgin and want to know what to expect. Don't spare the gory details, please!

A: To be brutally honest, I'd say it's a 7 out of 10 on the pain scale, but if you pop an Advil before, you'll reduce the ouch. (And avoid going right before or during your period, when your body is more sensitive.) When you arrive, your specialist will ask you to drop trou; then, after trimming longer hairs, she'll either use a hard wax (a thicker goo to peel off) or a soft wax (a thinner type taken off with strips) to remove hair from your groin and butt. If you have a choice, opt for hard wax, which is less painful but works as well. Don't be embarrassed if she asks you to lift a leg to get to hard-to-reach areas. (Estheticians have seen it all!) The best distraction? Listen to music—it will be over before you know it.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

After living on the Mediterranean for the past year,I definitely came back healthier (cholesterol was lower) eating all that hummus and olive oil ...Yum! The problem was all the delicious Pita bread!!! I gained 15 pounds living the good life over there !!!!! GRRRRRRR! So you can imagine how excited I was to be asked to review/try a new innovative Diet product called Sensahttp://start.trysensa.com/

So far I have lost 3 lbs ! Just in 1 week and I have changed nothing...I have noticed a big difference in my appetite ! I am not as hungry!I really feel this working...I plan to start dieting and exercising...And now that I have this I think it will be a breeze to stick with any diet : ) I am sooooo excited

Sensa is an additive that is sprinkled on your food in order to induce feelings of fullness so that you can take control over what you eat and lose weight. It was created around the scientific principle that our sense of taste and smell are inextricably linked to our satiety. There is no taste or yucky feeling from the spinkles.

By sprinkling Sensa onto your food, the Sensa Tastants travel through your nose to nerve receptors. Your nerve receptors stimulate areas in the brain that are involved in satiety and trigger the release of hormones that suppress hunger and appetite. Sensa Tastants come in two flavors: salty and sweet. They are sprinkled on the foods you eat so that you will start to reduce your cravings and lose weight. Sensa Tastants are sodium-free, sugar-free, and calorie-free and they do not alter the taste of your food.In one clinical study, the average weight loss was 30 pounds while using Sensa for six months.

Exclusive for the The Glam Lounge Readers receive 15% off your total order by using The promotional code RXL7 http://start.trysensa.com/

Time to SPARKLE... The Holiday Season is here... I want to offer up a few really simple and fun ideas for the perfect, pretty, party pout! Great looking lips can be just the sparkle you need for your party!Give some of these ideas a try:

Begin with a lip exfoliant. This will remove any dry, flaky, dead skin and give your lips a fresh, smooth look.

Choose a lip liner that coordinates with your chosen lip color. They really must be close to matching, if you want a nice, professional look. After you line your lips, blend the liner in so you don’t have a harsh line.

Think about red. It’s sexy, cheerful and bright! (hopefully just like your holidays) Keep in mind that there are all kinds of “red.” From cool, blue-based red all the way to a bright, light, warm, orangy red. Keep your skin tone in mind here and remember that if chosen correctly, everyone can wear some type of red.

Add a sealant and then gloss. This will help you maintain your color longer. The more moisture the lipstick has the easier it will come off. A sealer will dry your lipstick out a bit, but help it stay, and the lip gloss will add a bit of shine and dazzle to your holiday kisser!

So many times we spend time looking for a great outfit for a holiday party that we forget to pay attention to the little finishing touches, like a new makeup look

A Topical Retinoid A fabulous way to start to take years off your face naturally is with a topical retinoid. A topical retinoid is a natural and concentrated form of vitamin A that makes skin more radiant and smoothes lines. Dermatologists recommend using one on a daily basis. A great one to try is Roc’ s Retinol Correxion Night Cream. You can find this one at most any drugstore and it was proven in a clinical trial to take 10 years off your face in just 3 months. (Based on the diminished appearance of wrinkles.)

Alpha-Lipoic Acid Alpha-lipoic acid is a great antioxidant that goes beyond what the regulars like vitamin C and E are able to do. It is known for it’s anti-aging benefits and has been recommended by Dr. Oz on the Oprah show. You can find this supplement at most any drug store.

White Tea This kind of tea has one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants, which slow down the aging process. I have found even organic white tea at the dollar store, and just a cup or two per day will really do the trick.

Resveratrol Resveratrol supplements are a natural and concentrated form of the potent antioxidants found in red wine. In order to get the age-defying benefits from red wine, you would have to drink a massive and unhealthy amount. The supplements are concentrated, so have the benefits you need without the unhealthy side. Dr. Oz recently recommended Resveratrol supplements on the Oprah show to live longer and take years off of your appearance.

Home Olive Oil Facial Massages Olive oil facial massages will take years off your face by lifting the skin and stimulating collagen production, for a plumped result. This is the same technique used at the spa when they give a facial. Olive oil also contains beneficial nutrients that skin takes very well to. To give yourself this massage, pour enough olive oil to cover the face. With both hands, use your index and middle fingers to massage the skin upwards on your face and neck. Do this for 10 minutes and repeat weekly. You can vary the amount of olive oil and the amount of time to suit your needs if you like. You’ll love the results.

Frownies Frownies are a natural brown paper adhesive that take years off your face by training the skin to erase lines & wrinkles. They have been a celebrity secret for decades. The Frownies story and their results have been featured in Good Housekeeping and O Magazine. The before and after photos with just 30 days time (seen at frownies.com) are really mind boggling. Try a few or all of these steps and you’ll take years off (:

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

I am in love with the smell... The YUMMY Burnt Brown Sugar scent - is more caramely with a hint of pumkin pie

This dreamy body wash leaves you clean,smooth and hydrated ...Lived up to it's promises for smoother and more even-toned skin using it's special mix of exfoliators and soothing ingredients, like Burnt Sugar and Karite Butter (more popularly known in the West as Shea Butter)

The Beauty Bar is nice if you prefer a bar ,i foud it to be just as exfoliating ...Both are great drug store finds

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